Reducing-valve and means for operating same.



J. A. HICKS.

REDUCING VALVE AND MEANS EOE OPERATING SAME.

APPLIOA'1ION FILED MAR. 26, 1910. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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REDUCING VALVE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME.

APPLIOATION FILED 111111.26, 1910.

1,001,401. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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JAMES A. HICKS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

REDUCING-VALVE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application filed March 26, 1910. Serial No. 551,765.

.I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, James A. lllUKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Redluring-Valves and Means for Operating the Same, ol which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to rralucing valves, or as they are commonly known in the air brake art, teed-valves and which are designed to reduce and regulate pressure in a fluid pr'essure connection such as an air brake pipe.

The present invention has for its object generally to improve valves of this type, and more particularly to provide :for varying their action at the will oil? the operator and at a distance from the valve.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a feed-valve, which, in the main, is similar to feed valves now in use or which may be oli any suitable type capable of reducing pressure in a fluid pressure connection. in which the means for regulating the dillj'crcntial pressures on opposite sides of the valve are capable of being varied by a fluid pressure actuated device such as, for example, a piston, so as to vary or practically intermit the action of the feed-valve when desired, and equalize or nearly equalize the pressure on opposite sides thereof; and, it'urlhermorc, this means for varying or intermitting the action of the teed-valve is so arranged as to be capable of operation by a manually operated pressure controlling valve, so that the engincanan or operator can handle the teed-valve to vary or intermit its action from a distance.

In order that the invention may be understood by those skilled in the art to Which it belongs, l have illustrated in the aceompanying drawings a feed-valve and an operating valve embodying my improvements, and in said drawings: l igure l is a dia grammatic view to show the coupling of the feedand control valves, the control valve being in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale than Fig. 1, of the teedvalve with my improvel'nents, the view being distorted and diagrammatic in some respects and made without regard to proportions or mechanical relation of parts.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating like parts in the sev eral views, it will be seen that the feedvalve 2 in many of its general lcatures is similar to leedwalvcs now in use, having the inlet 3 on the high side of the valve; the outlet lon the low side (ill the valve; the supply valve 5 controlling l eed 'lrom the high side to the low side lhe regulating valve (3; and diaphragm l, backed by diaphragm spring 8, the usual spindle t) traversing the spring.

The valve as thus far described, 'liunctions in the usual manner, valve 5 being drawn when pressure :lalls on the low side to admit l'ecding l'roln the high side, said valve going back and cutting oll' :lieed from the high side when the pressure builds up to maximum on the low side against regulating valve diaphragm 7.

The diaphragm spindle and spring are housed within a spring box ll threaded into the diaphragm receiving chamber, as best shown in Fig. 1?. Normally lhe diaphragm T responds lo pressure in excess of the pressure o'lt' spring 8, and this spring pressure may be varied to meet conditions by compressing the spring 8 more or loss, through the medium ol? the threaded piston cup 12 zuljustably mounted in the spring box 11, said cup 12 having apertures through the rear wall thereof and containing a recessed piston 12), lhe stem l=lot which projects through the head oi the cup 12 and has stop nuts 15 which limit the throw of piston 13. 'lhrcaded on said cup 19 is a pressure cap ll which couples with the connection 17, which mmnuunicalcs with a suitable source at pressure which is manually controlled so that it may be thrown into the pressure cap lli on top oi. the piston 13, compress the diaphragm spring 8, increase its pressure against the diaphragm T, and open up the regulating valve regardless of the ratio of pressures on the inlet and outlet sides of the teed-valve. and thus run up the pressure on the low side equal or nearly equal, dcpending upon the adjustment oi. the parts, to the pressure on the high side.

Tt will be observed that in the construction just described the spindle 9 ol' the dia phragm is supported at its outer end by the piston 13, said spindle entering a suitable bore centrally of the piston; the piston in turn being mounted within the piston cup or cylinder 12 forms the abutment against which the spring 8 bears, and the relatively fixed tension of this spring may be varied by adjusting this piston cup 12 and its contained piston into or out of the spring box 11. The variable tension of the spring 8 is, of course, eflected by the movement of the piston 13, which is recessed, as shown, and receives air through apertures in the rear wall of the piston cup 12, said piston moving more or less according to the pressure thrown into the cap 16 and against the piston 12, the extent of movement of this piston and the compression of the spring under its movements being limited by the stop nuts 15 on the piston stem 14, as shown. It will be observed that when the piston 18 is thrown forward by fluid pressure to compress the spring 8, that action of the spring, while practically intermitted by this fluid pressure device, is, nevertheless, a resilient means and does not lose entirely its regulating function. Although its tension has been increased it is nevertheless true that the regulating valve 3 will be capable of operating in its normal manner, although against an increased spring tension.

Normally the connection 17 is closed by a valve device which is best shown in Fig. 1, and comprises a casing 18 provided with a port normally closed by a valve 19 against which pressure from pipe 20 stands, said pipe 20 communicating with any suitable supply; said valve 19 being upheld by a spring 21, a nut 22 being provided to close the bottom of the casing and support said valve and spring. Said valve 19 has a stem which engages the lower end of a diaphragm plunger or rod 28 carried by diaphragm 24 held in a suitable seat in the casing, said rod 23 projecting into operative relation to a double throw lever 26, one arm of which engages the top of rod 23, while the other arm engages the stem 2'7 of a small release valve 28 controlling a passage 29 from the chamber above the valve 19 to atmosphere. With this arrangement it will be apparent that when the lever handle 26 is thrown to the right, Fig. 1, the rod 23 will be depressed, opening valve 19 and throwing pressure from 20 to connection 17, and thence to the pressure cap 16, moving the piston 13 forward and compressing the spring 8 more or less, dependent on the adjustment of the parts and travel of the piston. The com pression of the spring 8 naturally forces the diaphragm 7 against the regulating valve 6 and throws it open, allowing the pressure standing against the piston 10 to reduce through. the regulating valve and draw the slide-valve feed-valve 5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a feed valve, which, while it possesses all of the features of the ordinary feed-valve, is so constructed that it may be operated to vary the differential pressures and bring the two sides of the valve to equalization, or approximately so, and that this intermitting of the feed-valve reducing action may be accomplished by fluid pressure, from a distance, and through the medium of a valve manually controlled by an operator, as, for example, by the engineer.

While I have disclosed herein the best embodiment of my invention now known to me, since it is obvious that mechanical variations may be adopted without departing from my invention, I do not confine myself to the details of construction except in so far as I am restricted by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, resilient means responding to pressure tending to open said regulating valve, adjustable means for giving a relatively fixed tension to said resilient means, fluid-pressLire-actuated means controlling the tension of said resilient valve-opening means, and manually-operated means for controlling said fluid-pressure-actuated tensioning means.

2. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, resilient means responsive to outlet.- pressure tending to open, said regulating valve, and fluid-pressureactuated means for varying the tension of said resilient valveopening means.

3. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, resilient means responsive to pressure tending to open said valve, fluid-pressureactuated means to vary the tension of said resilient valve-opening means, and means for limiting the travel of said tensioning means.

1. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, resilient means responsive to pressure tending to open said valve, fluid-pressure-actuated means to vary the tension of said resilient valve-opening means, and adjustable means for limiting the travel of said tensioning means.

5. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed diaphragm responsive to outlet-pressure tending to open said regulating valve, fluid-pressureactuated means to vary the tension of the diaphragm spring, and means to limit the movement in both direct-ions of said tensioning means.

6. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a pressure-actuated spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a fluid-pressure-actuated piston to vary the tension of the diaphragm spring, and means to limit the movement of said piston in both directions.

7 In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve a pressure-controlled spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a tluid-pressure-actuated device to ary the tension on the diaphragm spring, and adjustable means for varying the nor mal tension of said spring.

8. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a pressure controlled spring pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a pressure-actuated abutment against which the diaphragm spring bears, and an adjustable support tor said abutment.

9. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a pressure controlled spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a tluid-pressureactuated piston against which the diaph 'agm spring bears, an adjustable piston cup for said piston, and means for limiting the travel of said piston in said cup.

10. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve and the spindle of which engages a lluid-pressurc actuated piston, an adjustable cupped support in which said piston travels, means for limiting the travel of said piston in said cylinder, and a pressurecap inclosing said piston and piston support.

11. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve and the spindle of which engages a pressare-actuated piston, an adjustable piston cup in which said piston travels, means for hunting the travel of said piston in its cup, and a pressure-cap secured to said piston cup.

12. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed pressure-opposed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, adjustable means :tor giving a relatively tixed tension to said diaphragm spring, and i'lflltl-pltSSlll'C-tlCtllliltud means for increasing the tension on said spring.

13. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed pressure-opposed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, adjustable means for giving a relatively fixed tension to said diaphragm spring, t1iiidpressure-actuated means for increasing the tension on said spring, and a manually-ope'ated valvedevice to control pressure on said actuating means.

1 L. In a device of the class described and in combimition, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a swing-pressed pressureopposed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, adjustable means :tor giving a relatively fixed tension to said diaphragm spring, [luid pressure-actuated means for increasing the tension on said spring, and a mannally-operated valve-device having inlet and exhaust ports to control pressure on said tensioning means.

'15. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spring-pressed pressiire-opposed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, adjustable means for giving a relatively fixed tension to said diaphragm spring, lluid-pressure-actuated means for increasing the tension on said spring, and a manual valve-device operable in one direction to apply and in the other direction to exhaust pressure on. said spring-tensioning means.

16. In a device of: the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a spriiig-pressed-pressure-opposed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a springbox surrolnuling said diaphragm spring, a piston-cup adjustably mounted on said spring-box, a fluid-pressurc-actuatcd piston in said cup against which said spring bears, a piston stem projecting through the head oti said cup and having an adjustable stop thereon, and a pressure-cap adjustably mounted on said piston-cup.

17. In a device of the class described and in combination, a supply valve, a regulating valve, a pressiire-controlled spring-pressed diaphragm tending to open said regulating valve, a spring-box surroumling said diaphragm spring, a piston-cup having an open front and an apertured rear wall threaded to said spring-box, a lluid-pressnre-actuated piston in, said cup against which said diaphragm spring bears, a piston-stem projecting through the rear wall of said cup, an adjustable stop on said stem, and a pressure-cap threaded to said piston-cup.

In testin'iony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. HICKS.

\Vitnesses A. V. OUSIIMAN, 0 [IA nuns Iiow nnn I-Iownnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

